This patent relates to an improved high precision z-theta stage. The stage has a horizontal translation axis (z-axis) and a rotary axis (theta-axis) parallel with the horizontal translation axis. Stages of this type are described in our co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/830,979. The stage is especially designed for the manufacture of expandable stents for implantation in a human body or other cylindrical laser-machined components. The stents are manufactured from a tubular feedstock, such as stainless steel, nitanol, or plastic, and are provided with intricate circumferential patterns. Processes for machining the patterns out of the feedstock include laser machining in which a z-theta stage controlled by a CNC controller presents the feedstock to a laser beam for cutting away portions of the tubular feedstock. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,504 entitled “Expandable Stents and Method for Making Same” for a description of one stent manufacturing process. Due to the superior ability of the stage as described in our co-pending application to rapidly reposition without the need for setting delays, the throughput is so significantly increased that the ability of the rotation stage to dissipate heat limits further increase. It is an object according to this invention to overcome this limitation.